Can you please clarify the statement that "computer screens are not suitable for video games"? The XBox is not a video game - it is a video game console. Do you mean to ask why console games are better played on TV screens than computer monitors?
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Private PansyJul 28 '12 at 10:27

I quite happily played PS3 connected to a 22" PC monitor for a couple of years. There was nothing wrong with it at all. It helped that the monitor suppored HDMI and had built-in speakers though.
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YellowMegaManJul 28 '12 at 10:29

Your question is a bit confused though. You don't need a PC at all to play console games on a computer monitor. You just plug the monitor directly into the console.
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YellowMegaManJul 28 '12 at 10:32

I edited the word CONSOLE into your title because I'm rather certain this is what you meant. If I have somehow misunderstood your intent please feel free to roll-back the edit and clarify your question.
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EnderJul 28 '12 at 10:36

-1, the question is unanswerable since your assertion itself is wrong (computer monitors work fine for gaming). Perhaps rephrase asking if they are unsuitable, and if so which ones?
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AlokJul 28 '12 at 10:56

2 Answers
2

Technically there is no difference between Monitors and TVs, however, due to the way some games are programmed, there can be a significant difference in the gaming experience - most significantly for FPS games.

Since consoles have quite bad performance, the developers use a lot of tricks to increase the framerate. One of those tricks is reducing the Field of View (FOV), i.e. the angle that the player can see in front of him. PC games usually use 80 degree, console games are around 60 degree. From a low distance, i.e. when you sit right in front of a Monitor, the low FOV can cause headaches and nausea for some players but from a longer distance, i.e. your couch to a TV, it is perfectly fine.

@congusbongus Well it can, but it all depends on implementation of the game engine. Because the FoV is lower, the engine has to do a part less rendering because it is not vissible to the player. Now this might be only a little fraction, but every little bit might help.
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LyrionSep 19 '13 at 9:43

A modern TV is a monitor with some extra circuitry (tuner, embedded player for videos, etc), there is no reason for monitors to be worse at displaying console video than TVs. Having built-in speakers or an audio out if you're using HDMI will be necessary.